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New Baby | |
Arjan Singh
Born on April 24, 2011
Guru Simrat Kaur &
Ram Das Singh |
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Local Businesses | |
Vinies Ayurveda's Soul
Natural Ayurvedic Skin Care
Kamaljit's new skin care line currently consists of Age Defiance Cream, Pearl White Skin Lightening Mask, Instant Face Lift Mask, Dry Skin Dew Drops Serum, Perfect Cleavage Cream, and Luminous Skin Mask. For more information and to purchase her product, visit her website:
http://www.viniesveda.com/ |
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Workshop |
Dying Into Life Training
Siri Neel Kaur and Jivan Joti Kaur will be facilitating a training on the Siri Singh Sahib's teaching on death, May 14 and 15. There will be special emphasis on how to prepare for one's own death and loss and how to help someone else. For more information contact: siri.neel@verizon.net or jivanjotikaur@gmail.com, and we will send you a flier and answer any questions. |
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Local Events | |
Annual Spring Art Show/Sale
Northern NM College
Featuring Stoneware pottery, fiber arts, Spanish Colonial furniture, paintings, and more! Hari Har Kaur will have her artwork displayed.
Wed. 5/4, Noon-9pm
Thurs. 5/5, 9am-9pm
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Pho Kim Restaurant
919 W. Alameda
(next door to La Mantonita Coop in Santa Fe)
We stopped for dinner on a Saturday evening and were pleasantly surprised by this fairly new Vietnamese restaurant. I had stir fried fresh rice noodles with vegetables and my husband had stir fried sweet and sour tofu with Jasmine rice. Both dishes were nicely prepared and very fresh. The young service staff were attentive and checked on us frequently. We saw a young couple ordering fresh coconut and strawberry shakes and were intrigued that they also offer avocado and jack fruit shakes. We would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoyes the Vietnamese rice noodles.
If you find a new restaurant you would like to recommend, please send your review to the Editor to be printed in this newsletter. |
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Your HGRD Fund! | |
Your consistent monthly donations sustain the foundation of the Mother Ashram. Giving what you can is greatly honored.
What would inspire you to give? If you are considering becoming a monthly contributor, but have reservations, we would love to hear your feedback.
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Honoring Long Time Contributors | |
HGRD Corporation
We would like to honor those individuals of the community who over the years have consistently been able to honor SSS's hukam that every adult is responsible to pay ashram dues of $100 per person. Thank you for your sacrifice, gift and giving.
"Whosoever will serve this house, he shall be served forever."
Yogi Bhajan |
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Espanola Ashram Website
Make it your home page! |
This bulletin has been compiled by Guru Meher Kaur, Jr. for your reading pleasure. To submit articles or feedback please email: |
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A Publication of: |
Hacienda de Guru Ram Das Ashram
1A Ram Das Guru Place
Espanola, NM 87532
505-753-6341
Ashram Secretary |
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You in Community May 2011 |
 Happy Mother's Day!
Sunday, May 8th
By Mataji GuruMeher Kaur Sr.
May is the month in which we remember mothers - our own, and those who represent the spirit of motherhood in our hearts. Within our Dharma that spirit is most manifest in our Mother Ashram here in Espanola. From the beginning this has been recognized as the center for our hearts in the Western Hemisphere. In 1975 Yogi Bhajan, Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh KhalsaYogiji, spoke to the Espanola Sangat clearly explaining this Mother House, our relationship to her and the joys and duties surrounding her. We know his message is not just for Espanola, but for all of us, wherever we live, because this place is supported and loved by so many. Please take a few minutes from your busy day, open the attachment and read the complete text of his inspiring words. Remember, your Mother needs your prayers, your ideas, your love, your blessings, your inspiration, your work, your seva, your donations and your participation to grow beautifully, bountifully and blissfully into the future. May we all gracefully serve each other and this special place - Hacienda de Guru Ram Das - our Mother Ashram.
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 Guru Arjan Dev Ji's Birthday
Special Meditation - 5/1-5/5
Aap Sahaee Hoa
Monday the 2nd was Guru Arjan Dev Ji's birthday celebration and we are following up with Siri Sikdar Sahiba's request for the first 5 days of May to celebrate with 2½ hours of reciting Aap Sahaee Hoa daily, Sunday through Thursday, May 1st through May 5th in honor of this.
For those 5 days, there is chanting in the amrit vela, 3:00-4:00 am(in the Guru's closet), and an evening schedule of Aap Sahaee Hoaa shabad, each for an hour. The evening chanting we chant at 6:00-7:00pm followed by a light langar. Each day, we also recite 31 minutes of the shabd at noon to complete the 2½ hours daily. All recitations are taking place in the Gurdwara. At the end of our 5 days of recitation we will have our Akal Takhat 6th of the month Gurdwara on Friday - so a wonderful week of prayer and meditation to honor the 5th Master. Please join us and uplift your spirit! Download a copy of the shabad here. |
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Espanola Spring Cleanup
The SEVA COV has signed up to participate in the Espanola Spring Cleanup on May 14th from 8:00 to 12:00 noon. We would like to encourage as many sangat members to participate in this effort to beautify Espanola and show our seva spirit. This annual event is sponsored by Keep America Beautiful nation-wide and supported  by many local businesses and organizations. Our group will focus on the area around the ashram cleaning Sombrillo Road and the old Sombrillo Elementary School. We really would like to upgrade the look of our surrounding area and to keep our reputation strong in Espanola as individuals who are know for their desire to serve the community.
To signup to participate, please contact: Hari Singh (505) 692-3721or Sita Kaur (505) 692-3714 or Guru Meher Kaur 747-1476 so we can sign you up for a vegetarian lunch afterwards at the Espanola Plaza.
Read flyer |
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She  This Month's UnSung Hero
Sat Mitar Kaur
Sat Mitar brings her Khalsa spirit of devotion to everything she does. She feels the love and the spirit of the sangat like some people read a book. Her intuition is clear in terms of the service she performs to elevate others towards unity and kindness.
We appreciate her selfless service especially the two workshops she organized for the sangat that inspired so many to chant Guru Gobind Singh's "Jai Te Gang" shabad. It's evident how she has really blossomed from this practice because you can see the sparkle in her eyes and feel her love radiating out to all. She also devotes many hours working for Sikh Dharma Worldwide and participating in the HGRD Board which keeps her busier than you know.
We appreciate you, Sat Mitar Kaur, and your sweet smile and heart-felt kindness. Thank you for all you do! |
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 Ashram Gift Shop
Our new item of the month...
Hari Tea
Traditional and not-so-traditional herbs and spices are blended to give you an experience of meditative well-being. And perhaps the biggest comfort of all: these teas are simply delicious. One sampe of the heady aroma and taste tells the story.
The Hari teas divide their blends into categories favoring mental, spiritual, inspiration, or physical benefits. They have catchy titles, such as "Face the Moment" to "Tummy in H armony." They use artisanal blends of organic herbs and spices and pure cotton tea bags.
Price: $4.00
The Shoti Maa teas are also a product of Hari Teas and use a combination of Ayurvedic herbs and spices. "Sanctify" includes ginger, fennel and cinnamon and "In the Mood" has hibiscus, orange and pepper. Price: $7.00
Your Ashram Gift Shop is such a success. Come by and take a peek at all the goodies. Open Thursday's and Sunday's during langar. |
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Baisakhi Day Celebration
We celebrated with all the spirit of the sons and daughters of Guru Gobind Singh. Many thanks to SatSundri Kaur for the beautiful pictures she took during the festivities.
The breakfast at Sat Want Singh and Manjit Kaur's house was delicious and cozy as always. The nagar kirtan was spirited and the Gurdwara uplifting. Matamander Singh and jetha led us in 31 minutes of chanting Jai TeGang that had the whole sangat completely enthralled. Many thanks to Amrit Kaur and her decorating crew who brought the spirit of Baisakhi so e nchantingly to the Gurwara and the delicious langar prepared by Sik h sangat from Santa Fe. |
 Bowl for Kids Sake
By Guru Meher Kaur, Jr.
A big "thank you" to all of you who contributed to the 28th annual Bowl For Kids' Sake, benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern New Mexico. Your support means that more children will be matched with caring adult mentors, changing their lives for the better, forever.
To date, Bowl For Kids' Sake 2011 raised over $127,000 for kids in Northern New Mexico. Also, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern New Mexico was one of 18 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies to win the Gold Standard Award for Excellency - out of over 350 agencies nationwide!
The Khalsa Kats had another fantastic time bowling together and meeting new people at the event. We were pleasantly surprised to bowl next to former County Commissioner, Henry Montoya, and his team. Our top bowlers this year were Varnjeet Kaur and Guru Daya Kaur and Amrit Samrit Singh was the most improved. If you would like to be part of our team next year or start your own team, please contact me at 747-1476 or khalsa44@hotmail.com. Its a great way to serve the youth in our community and have a good time as well. |
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Editor's Note:
The following text was left out of the article for Kirpal Singh as last month's Unsung Hero.
He almost single-handedly organized two of our ashram's longest-running daily meditations, 31 minutes of the Narayan shabd and then some time later, 31 min. of Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru (for months).
 He schedules people to play kirtan for Sunday Gurdwaras, and for all the ashram Gurdwaras (6th of the month, etc). If he has trouble filling one of the kirtan slots, he is the 'fall back' guy, and fills in. This means he plays first slot kirtan on Sunday mornings about half the time, as that is the hardest time to fill. He regularly fills in for the sadhana Gurdwara kirtanee, as the need arises. Whenever he is in town, he shows up for Sunday Gurdwara early, so that he can help with the Guru's Prakash and make sure the sound system is all set up and ready to go for the kirtanees. He is very committed to attending morning sadhana, and is a regular. He works to promote and inspire an awareness of the value morning sadhana to the sangat.
He's a writer - he has completed three manuscripts (two novels and one childrens book), and is actively writing his memoirs, focusing on his memories of the SSS. He also writes articles, speeches, text for the web, etc., as the need arises within the Dharma. Currently, in addition to working full time for Akal Security's Contact Management Department, he teaches two classes a week: 'Intro to Sociology', for the University of New Mexico, Taos.
Again, thank you Kirpal Singh for your true devotion and sacrifice to make our ashram a better place!
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Yogi Bhajan, Siblings of Destiny
By Hari Jiwan Singh
It's been a busy and gratifying week. Last weekend we were at Baisakhi in Los Angeles and this week at the Siblings of Destiny meetings in Espanola. The meetings were significant for many reasons but the issues of note for me were as follows.
There were many reports, many issues discussed, and many acquaintances renewed. What wasn't presented or discussed, but could be read between the lines, however, was most important (as is usually the case).
read more> |
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Computer Corner
May 2011 Getting rid of Jerky Streaming Video
Why Wi-Fi doesn't cut it for streaming video
By Guruka Singh
Buffering... Buffering... That's no fun! Do you watch Netflix, Hulu, YouTube or other streaming video over a wireless connection at home? Do your videos keep pausing while you watch those circling dots instead of the video? I used to do that, but last week I switched over from wireless to a hard-wired connection it's a huge improvement. And guess what, I didn't have to install or pull a single wire to do it.
Although we have a fairly small house, the walls are plaster and even with the latest Wireless-N gear, I was not always able to get reliable and dropout-free throughput for media streaming in our living room twenty feet away.
You might think spending $150 on the latest 300 Mbps 802.11n router should do the trick, but in many cases even the fastest Wi-Fi routers can't deliver smooth streaming video where it's needed, and if you try backing up over your wireless connection, backups might take hours or even days to complete. read full story
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Sangat Birthday's for May
Now featured on the ashram website at: http://espanolaashram.com/
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Missal Duties for May 2011
listed by Missal number
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Date |
Set Up |
Langar |
Clean Up |
Akand Path | |
5/2-5/8 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
2 | |
5/9-5/15 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 | |
5/16/5/22 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | |
5/23-5/29 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
1 | |
5/30-6/5 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
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If God has guided you here and has given you the virtue to do service here, and has given you that chance, then don't waste it. It's a place to gain and to be what is yours to be. Therefore, I say to you that take the very earth of this place and put it on your forehead. It will rewrite your destiny."
~Yogi Bhajan
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